Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Yes, you've heard this place mentioned before I'm sure & it's all true. You must visit this when you are in Melbourne but make sure you allow yourself a few hours as so many booths to see with all sorts of goods, vintage, retro, shabby, kitsch & prices all good.

Just about to enter the emporium that is Empire Vintage, yay. As you'll see from the other photo we all managed to buy some treasures & would surely have purchased more if we had more space, whoops already overweight for the return flight to NZ!

These gorgeous garments are just the treats that Lyn wears daily, she walks the walk, talks the talk................

This is the 3 Barn Girls, lucky enough to meet the fabulous Lyn Gardner, outside her shop "Empire Vintage". If ever you are in Melbourne you must visit her at 63 Cardigan Place, Albert Park, Victoria 3206 (PH: +61 3 9682 6677). You will get a very warm welcome from this very friendly lady, she's a delight.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Just a wee story about our visit to "Madame Brussels"! I had heard of this venue & read a blurb about it in our hotel info book. Told Shirley about it & we decided might be a worth a visit sometime. No real plans were made but one night in Melbourne we were wandering in search of dinner & I realised we were right by the entrance to said premises. Shirley & I took off up the 4 flights of dingy-looking stairs & could hear Mum & Michael moaning about the stairs & Mum in particular expressing her disinterest in "visiting a "knock shop".....those girls are up to no good taking us to a place like that, I want to go back to the hotel, Michael let's just order room service & they can carry on in this place".....funny stuff. Turns out when we got to the top floor you enter this kitsch "Frenchie" garden party-type area with astro turf, white wrought iron furniture & vintage china - MUM LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went through one of the sets of french doors & were out on the roof area overlooking Bourke St............gorgeous, a mite chilly but one could get hot water bottles & blankets if desired!! Couple of Pimms & snacks & we were then directed to a fabulous old house? in Little Collins St by the manager of Mme Brussels where we had a superb late dinner.

We so recommend you visit Mme Brussels when you visit Melbourne, fantastic friendly staff & awesome venue, one would have no idea you were in Melbourne's CBD. They also present an amusing schedule of planned events which you can peruse on their website - http://www.madamebrussels.com/..... oh & check out the wrought iron bottle holder behind the bar, just like Mum's stand outside the main door of The Barn!!!

Ah, Kokoblack..............my sister-in-law Robyn said we absolutely must visit Kokoblack (Shop 4 Royal Arcade, 335 Bourke St) whilst in Melbourne, now we know why she said we wouldn't be disappointed!!!

Even serious chocoholics would find this place overwhelming. We all ordered our favoured special treats but really struggled to finish them. My "real" moccachino was liquid chocolate & freshly roasted coffee, boy, fabulous but I couldn't get through it all especially once I'd eaten my way through 3 house specials of chocolate gateaux, chocolate mousse, chocolate shortbread cookie.....................Mum & Shirley thought it was the bees knees as I hadn't been able to tell them too much about it but we were all very pleased with the visit...oh yes, there were also small chandeliers here as well, of course. Melbourne is a very styley city, love.

These pictures are of a gorgeous shop called "Flowers Vasette" which we stumbled across whilst walking Brunswick St, Fitzroy waiting for the Rose St Market to open.

It is the most beautiful store (what florist shop isn't) & the smell was enticing from outside the door. Brave displays of twigs, mosses, barks & also beautiful beautiful flowers across the colour spectrum. So wanted to buy but no point when you're only visiting, shame.